• Kontrol Energy is entering the cannabis vertical sector, as legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada opens up C$6 billion market
• Company’s smart energy solutions, utilizing IoT, cloud and SaaS technologies, could significantly cut costs
• As competition intensifies, production efficiency is set to become a differentiating success factor

The legalization of recreational cannabis on October 17, 2018, in Canada has opened a market, estimated at just under C$6 billion, to competitive forces. Now, market pressure will, undoubtedly, drive the search for more efficient production methods. One big-ticket item set to garner attention is the cost of energy, which makes up around 30 percent of direct grow expenses. This is all very well and good for Kontrol Energy Corp. (CSE: KNR) (FSE: 1K8). The Ontario-based tech company specializes in the integration of smart energy technologies and solutions for commercial and industrial property owners and operators aimed at helping them benefit from energy cost savings and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Voted the seventh-fastest growing startup in 2018, Kontrol aims to be a leader in the energy efficiency sector through the implementation of IoT, cloud and SaaS technologies.

With the passage of its Cannabis Act in June 2018, Canada became the first G7 country and the second nation state (Uruguay was the first) to legalize the use of marijuana for general adult use. The large black market is now about to change color as it opens up to licensed producers and retailers. In 2017, the latest year for which complete data is available, 4.9 million Canadians used cannabis, according to Statistics Canada (http://ibn.fm/LZEYo). They spent C$5.7 billion ($4.17 billion) to do so, of which 90 percent was through the black market – a nice chunk of change, if you can get it. The quest to do exactly that is intensifying. Back in August 2018, Marijuana Business Daily reported the number of licensed producers (LPs) at 115, with another 588 applications awaiting process by Health Canada (http://ibn.fm/ECdze). As competition heats up, the focus on costs will, indisputably, increase.

Energy costs are a big part of the equation. Using traditional growing methods, it takes about 2,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity to produce a pound of cannabis product. That’s roughly the same energy consumption as an average household over a period of two to three months. To produce 1,000 pounds per annum would cost C$188,000 at the current mid-peak price of 9.4¢ per kWh – much, much more (C$264,000) at the on-peak price of 13.2¢ per kWh (http://ibn.fm/dUPil).

However, Kontrol Energy is offering ways to cut those costs. In July 2018, the company announced that it was entering the North American cannabis market as a supplier of integrated energy efficiency solutions and technologies (http://ibn.fm/Gz7Xs). Through its operating subsidiaries and its most recent energy technology acquisition, Kontrol is focused on assisting cannabis growers reduce their costs of energy.

“As the North American cannabis industry begins to enter a consolidation phase there is a growing demand for energy solutions which will assist in the drive to the lowest cost of production,” Paul Ghezzi, CEO of Kontrol Energy, stated in a news release. “Further as cannabis moves to become a global commodity the ability to source lower costs of energy with real-time analytics and management is increasingly important.”

Kontrol, based in Mississauga, Ontario, currently operates through four divisions. Kontrol Technologies Inc. runs the turn-key energy retrofit business; Kontrol Energy Group manages the energy management system (EMS) unit; ORTECH Consulting Inc. oversees the greenhouse gas verification and testing business; and the engineering analysis, energy audits, electrical and mechanical design service business is handled by Efficiency Engineering Inc.

The company’s management has more than 40 years of combined clean energy experience. The team has been involved in over $500 million in solar energy projects connected to the Ontario electricity grid, over $850 million in renewable projects globally and more than 400 energy efficiency retrofits in Ontario. Now, it’s bringing its expertise to the billion dollar cannabis industry, providing smart solutions to cut costs and emissions.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.KontrolEnergy.com

• Therma Bright’s thermal, dermatological technologies finding value in responding to array of concerns, from pain to pandemics
• Wider cosmeceutical industry expected to grow at CAGR of 8.21 percent between 2017 and 2023
• Therma Bright’s niche focus is in strengthening skin defenses through non-invasive infrared energy and cannabidiol properties

Skin health is a critical component of a person’s overall wellness, and the researchers at Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) are making dermatological defenses the first line of resistance against a variety of medical concerns ranging from pain to pandemics.

The medical device developer has been an innovator in the field of using infrared light to tackle skin maladies by delivering controlled topical heat to afflicted areas without a risk of burning the skin. The technology was introduced as the trademarked InterceptCS product to treat cold sores by killing cells infected with the herpes simplex Type 1 virus. Design and engineering of the system was completed in late 2005 and in April 2006 (http://ibn.fm/SITXl).*

More recently, the company has been advancing its TherOZap technology as a first-generation medical device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the relief of the symptoms of skin pain, itch and inflammation associated with insect bites and stings. Therma Bright has been working on a TherOZap product that may provide a skin barrier to combat the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, and it recently announced that final prototypes were sent to a research laboratory where testing of the technology against the Zika virus is underway (http://ibn.fm/Q2YRt).

Zika gained worldwide attention after an outbreak in 2015, and its apparent connection to Latin American children’s birth defects, such as the brain-damaging microcephaly head ailment, led the World Health Organization to declare the sexually transmitted virus a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” because of its high potential for transnational transmission to other parts of the world (http://ibn.fm/Cbte1).

Dengue has been making news for decades as a viral infectious disease originating, like Zika, from mosquito bites. It used to be called “break-bone fever” because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking. WHO estimates that there may be 50-100 million dengue cases around the world every year, although some analysts believe the number is higher (http://ibn.fm/t87Md).

Researchers have been reporting progress lately toward potential vaccines. Clinical trials are underway for Zika solutions (http://ibn.fm/PofwS), and a partial dengue vaccine became commercially available in 11 countries in 2016 amid ongoing concerns about adverse responses in some vaccinated populations (http://ibn.fm/SyTmu).

Therma Bright’s novel barrier solution could provide a welcome response to medical concerns on a worldwide scale. The Zika trials are expected to last several months, an indication of their importance.

In October, Therma Bright revealed that it is also developing testing for a hemp cannabidiol (CBD)-based pain relief therapy that will use creams, gels or salves in concert with its thermal-generation products to target various forms of general or chronic pain such as back pain, arthritic pain and other orthopedic concerns. The company announced its first prototype in December.

Therma Bright’s attention to such a variety of skin care concerns positions it well within the cosmeceuticals market, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.21 percent between 2017 and 2023, resulting in a worldwide market valued at $72.99 billion overall (http://ibn.fm/ogcMx).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ThermaBright.com

* Based on double blind placebo study the InterceptCS™ is approved for the claim “For prevention of cold sores when used within 3 hours of the onset of the prodrome.” by Health Canada. The InterceptCS™ is not approved by the United States FDA for any claim of clinical indication, clinical efficacy, and/or cure or prevention of disease.

• Cannabis researchers predict that global sales of the plant will reach $32 billion by 2022
• Canada’s recent nationwide legalization of adult uses of cannabis is fueling a spike in labor force opportunities, including a 266 percent increase in cannabis jobs
• Icon Exploration’s agreement with City View Green (CVG) is sowing the seeds of growth as the Canadian cannabis license applicant prepares a 40,000-square-foot cultivation facility

New job and wage statistics released just shy of Canada’s two-month anniversary for full-use cannabis legalization underscore the strength of the ‘weed’ industry, as well as the market potential of companies such as Icon Exploration Inc. (TSX.V: IEX.H) that are aiming to build the industry into a multi-billion-dollar juggernaut.

Icon Exploration is a recent entrant to the space, working to create a company focused on evaluating and potentially acquiring diverse targets in the cannabis industry. Still, the company’s leadership team includes individuals who have already gained experience in the fledgling industry, and the extraction expert working in the plant’s active cannabinoid ingredients is preparing to build brand ideas based on a craft honed in the state-driven industry south of Canada’s border.

Canada has emerged as a visionary nation, the second in the American hemisphere (and the first in the industrialized G7 consortium) to legalize recreational cannabinoid drug use, such as marijuana smoking and vaping, in addition to nascent medicinal and wellness uses (http://ibn.fm/thL3N). The lawmakers’ decision highlighted the growing popularity of what was once only a lowbrow joke-inducing relaxant among a much wider segment of society.

Indeed, the recent Statistics Canada labor force report (http://ibn.fm/iBckf) indicates that the number of cannabis-related jobs grew by 266 percent between November 2017 and November 2018, and the jobs, on average, pay more than the national average. The report states that the average hourly wage for employees in cannabis-related jobs was $29.58, with the majority of them in the agriculture industry. Virtually all of the employees were working full time and had permanent positions, according to Statistics Canada data.

As Icon Exploration works to establish its foothold in the cannabis industry, global spending on the plant’s legalized cultivation continues to expand. Cannabis researchers at Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics predict that worldwide sales will reach $32 billion by 2022, according to an interview cited by the Washington Times (http://ibn.fm/oz2Zg). Despite Canada’s early leadership, the vast majority of that spending is expected to come from the United States, with prohibition continuing to crumble, as noted by the report and a similar ArcView interview with the Los Angeles Times (http://ibn.fm/W5aPD). The report adds that some analysts anticipate that U.S. sales will top $75 billion by 2030.

All of that is good news for Icon Exploration as it builds its portfolio in the cannabis space. The company recently entered a formal agreement with vertically integrated cannabis company City View Green (CVG), a Canadian governmental license applicant preparing a 40,000-square-foot cultivation facility near Toronto for pharmaceutical-grade cannabis as it awaits final approval of the license. An additional 4.3 acres at the site are reserved for the potential construction of another 125,000 square feet of cultivation and extraction facilities.

CVG’s plans include the production of high-quality edible products, distillates and water-soluble brands for the cannabidiol (CBD)-infused beverage market that is gaining heightened market attention since multi-national beverage maker Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) invested billions of dollars in Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) for a share of its cannabis operations (http://ibn.fm/eG4aQ).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.IconExploration.net

• 5G Network services began to appear in the United States during the last quarter of 2018, with momentum building for 2019
• Spectrum Global Solutions counts the 5G network movers among its clientele and is continuing to develop its capacity to build and maintain such networks
• The U.S. telecommunications industry is expected to invest about $157 billion in capital upgrades for new and existing networks by 2021

The ever upward-spiraling hunger that consumers feel for mobile computer data delivery is fueling the next surge in transmission power as 5G networks begin making inroads throughout the developed world’s communications infrastructure, and Spectrum Global Solutions, Inc. (OTC: SGSI) is poised to play a key role in delivering and maintaining that infrastructure.

The fifth generation of cellular mobile communications, 5G represents yet another exponential increase in computing-on-the-go capacity. When the second generation debuted all the way back in 1991 and began opening the door to everyman cell phone use, it boosted data transfer to a rate of 0.1 megabits per second. 3G increased that by a factor of 10 seven years later, and the currently common 4G standard raised the bar by a factor of 15 when it debuted in 2008. Now, a decade later, 5G is set to increase the network data transfer rate to 1.4 gigabits per second — nearly 1,000 times 4G’s 15 megabits per second rate and 20 times 4G LTE’s peak rate – all while maintaining the ability to reliably handle the signals for far more devices (http://ibn.fm/QaXaK).

In late December, AT&T went live with 5G service in 12 cities across the United States, and other networks were working to introduce their own faster services (http://ibn.fm/IGCxx). Verizon previously announced, in October, that it would be the first to deploy a commercial 5G network in the United States with the limited introduction of a home broadband service in parts of Sacramento, Houston, Indianapolis and Los Angeles. The service doesn’t currently meet the globally recognized 5G standard, but the company is racing to adopt the standard in the next few months. AT&T and Verizon are among an A-list group of carriers, aggregators, project management organizations (PMOs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), utilities and large enterprises that Spectrum Global Solutions, or SGSI, serves.

SGSI is a single-source provider of end-to-end network needs, from development and deployment to established infrastructure maintenance. The company is one of the few nationwide, full-service entities offering network engineering, construction, installation, maintenance and supportive professional services for metropolitan areas. SGSI is professionally registered in every U.S. state but Alaska, as well as three U.S. island territories and six Canadian provinces, allowing it to respond to multi-location projects and the growing need for bundled services.

Spectrum Global Solutions announced the acquisition of ADEX Corp. and ADEX Puerto Rico LLC in March, positioning it to capitalize on the continuing rollout of 5G services during the coming years. The ADEX entities added turnkey wireless and wireline telecom services, as well as professional staffing for projects, delivering new clients and capabilities to the company (http://ibn.fm/wYwJS) as SGSI’s other subsidiaries have done. ADEX is an outsource provider of engineering and installation services, staffing solutions and other services which include consulting to the telecommunications industry, its service providers and specialty customers worldwide.

The U.S. telecommunications industry is expected to expend some $157 billion for capital upgrades by 2021, largely due to the rollout of 5G networks, improvements to existing 4G networks, the auction of FCC spectrum bandwidth, the growth of Internet of Things (IOT) devices and other network infrastructure modernization (http://ibn.fm/L06kh).

“We expect that our cash position will increase due to operating profits in the telecommunications division. Over the coming months and year, subject to raising additional funds, we plan to primarily concentrate on our telecommunications business and associated projects,” the company stated in its most recent quarterly filing (http://ibn.fm/5lmCT).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SpectrumGlobalSolutions.com

• Sproutly’s chief science officer, Dr. Arup Sen, recently discussed the company’s unique water-soluble technology and its ability to create designer cannabis beverages
• Sproutly entered LOI with the largest Caribbean medical cannabis producer to establish a joint venture to sell cannabis-infused beverages and oil products

As worldwide prohibition of cannabis eases, restrictions on scientific research into cannabinoids are loosening as well, allowing innovative companies like Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) to emerge. Sproutly, based in Vancouver, Canada, has discovered water-soluble forms of cannabinoids, which it is now able to extract with a proprietary Aqueous Phytorecovery Process (APP) technological platform. In a recent interview, Dr. Arup Sen, chief science officer of Sproutly, discussed the technology and the potential that it holds for creating designer cannabis beverages, a promise that appears to have already blossomed. Sproutly has signed a letter of intent with Global Canna Labs Limited, the Caribbean’s largest medical cannabis producer. The two companies are planning to launch a line of cannabis-infused beverages for the Carribean market, based on Sproutly’s APP technology.

This easing of restrictions on cannabis has put favorable alternative and consumer-driven delivery methods under the spotlight. Marijuana available on the black market was consumed mainly through smoking. However, some people don’t enjoy smoking, or may be worried about the long-term health effects.

The obvious solution is to develop oral delivery methods that consumer want, but, in the case of cannabinoids, current oral delivery options are inefficient. For delivery via the human blood stream, hydrophilic (water-soluble) substances are best, but cannabinoids are hydrophobic (literally oil-based and afraid of water). Accordingly, several technologies to make cannabinoids water-compatible have been developed. They mostly involve the use of micro- or nanoemulsions. However, Sproutly’s APP technology goes beyond that by being able to recover water-soluble forms of cannabinoids, marking a huge leap in delivery.

As Sen explained in an interview with Investor Ideas (http://ibn.fm/QlipZ), “About three years ago we got interested in cannabis plants, however the challenge was that all the biologically active molecules are oils… So, we developed, and have a patent-pending process that is unique in that we are able to find and recover naturally water-soluble forms of these oils (that are able to) flow through the blood. (Now) we can recover commercially feasible amounts of these unique naturally water-soluble forms of the entire plant/cannabinoid/terpene profile.”

“This also exhibited an unusual feature, which is expected only of truly water-dissolved molecules, not formulated by emulsion or encapsulation, in that the truly water-soluble material, just like sugar and salt, go into our system rapidly, (hence fast onset for the cannabinoids and clear out from the system rapidly), so our offset time is less than an hour and half and most of them less than an hour. This is in sharp contrast to either free oil or all of the formulations that the industry has developed over the past couple of decades that formulate oil into water.”

“This now positions us to be the only player that can truly make, what would be called ‘designer beverages,’ where cannabis components are one component but we can add minerals, we can add anti-oxidants and we can add vitamins to really create functionality in the beverage and have controlled dosage.”

The technology is due to make its debut soon in Canada and abroad. Sproutly recently announced that it had entered into a letter of intent with Global Canna Labs Limited to establish a joint venture for the purpose of developing, producing, distributing, marketing and selling cannabis-infused beverages, edibles and topical products derived from Sproutly’s fully licensed, APP Technology (http://ibn.fm/zMSk6). Global Canna Labs Limited, with offices in Kingston, Jamaica, is the largest medical cannabis producer in the Caribbean. The firm counts among its board members a former Commissioner of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and a former Commissioner of Jamaica’s Customs Agency.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Sproutly.ca

• Israel on brink of removing ban on export of medical marijuana
• Redfund makes first investment in cannabis beverage company Biolog Inc.
• Biolog to collaborate in initiative to develop water-soluble cannabinoids

Recent developments in regulation and research and development in the cannabis space are set to swell the project pipeline of Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4). In November, a government committee in Israel approved the first draft of a law on the export of medical cannabis, a move welcomed by the industry, with one commentator (http://ibn.fm/XyGB5) opining, “Although a small step in the dry process of legislation, it’s a huge leap forward for the industry.” Medical cannabis has been domestically available in Israel for at least two decades. Its export, however, has been prohibited, leaving untapped, some say, a market worth around $4 billion.

The course of cannabis in Israel has meandered over the years. Most notably, it was in Israel that Raphael Mechoulam and Yechiel Gaoni started research on cannabis in the 1960s, with their work eventually leading to the identification and isolation of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychotropic component in marijuana. Today, Israel continues to lead research into cannabinoids. Yet, recreational use of cannabis remains illegal and will continue to do so until April 1, 2019. Additionally, export of medical cannabis is banned. Nevertheless, change is imminent. In 2017, two Israeli government departments recommended that export of medical cannabis be given the go-ahead. A committee made up of members from the Ministries of Finance and Health estimated that the Israeli export market could be valued at one to four billion shekels ($275 million to over $1 billion).

Redfund Capital Corp. is a merchant bank focused on providing debt and equity funding to mid- and late-stage companies. The bank’s current focus is on medical cannabis, hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) related companies. Redfund is keeping a close eye on developments in the Middle Eastern nation. The merchant bank has been performing due diligence on a number of potential target companies located there. One such company is developing technology that could change how cannabis is grown for medical cannabis patients. A second is a medical products and CDB company, while a third has research and development facilities in Israel and grow operations abroad. Redfund is looking to Israel as the next country to forge strong relationships with for its banking initiatives (http://ibn.fm/cO1Md).

In August 2018, Redfund announced that it had completed its first investment. The landmark initiative took the form of equity financing in Biolog Inc., a California-based company (http://ibn.fm/LitrW). Biolog Inc. operates in the fast-growing market for CBD edibles and infused beverages. Its products are expected to employ DehydraTECH technology, under license from Lexaria Bioscience Corporation (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP), which will enhance their taste and improve the bioavailability of active ingredients. Biolog has also announced a partnership with Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) to develop water-soluble cannabis technologies for cannabis- and phytocannabinoid-infused foods, beverages and consumer products (http://ibn.fm/lRqyU).

Cannabinoids, including CBD, are lipophilic (akin to fats and oils) and thus not soluble in water. Various methods, such as emulsification, have been attempted to make them more so, but many drawbacks still remain. This joint effort between Biolog, Inc. and Cannabis Strategic Ventures will seek to push past these limitations to develop a new set of compounds that can be easily added to foods, beverages, cosmetics and other consumer products. The result is expected to make cannabis more usable, thus significantly improving bioavailability and overall benefits to the human body.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.RedfundCapital.com

• Hemp-based CBD products are sold through SinglePoint’s e-commerce subsidiary, SingleSeed.com
• 2018 Farm Bill signed into U.S. law, removing hemp from list of controlled substances
• $1 billion hemp-derived CBD industry projected to reach $22 billion by 2022
• SinglePoint expects to top $1 million in 2018 sales and build to $3 million in 2019

SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING), a fully reporting technology company providing mobile payments, blockchain solutions and ancillary cannabis services, sees the recent passage and signing of the 2018 Farm Bill as a game changer for its SingleSeed.com subsidiary and its future growth plans. In a video discussion ranging from which CBD-infused product is topping the sales chart at SingleSeed.com to negotiations underway for new acquisitions, SinglePoint President Wil Ralston and CEO Greg Lambrecht share their thoughts on the impact of the 2018 Farm Bill as it relates to the hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) space (http://ibn.fm/rZB4l).

“It seems like two years ago I started to hear a little bit about CBD and what it was doing for people. Momentum has really been building for CBD. People are using it for a variety of things,” Lambrecht stated in the video. “As CBD becomes legal, you’re going to see this product sold in more traditional stores like Walgreens and 7-Eleven. We’re really excited about our online presence, but we’re also very focused on putting this product into retail, too.”

Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, which President Trump signed into law on December 20, farmers in the U.S. will be able to legally plant and harvest hemp. CBD derived from hemp is commonly used to promote wellness products, since it does not produce the expected ‘high’ of the THC compound found in marijuana. Interest in the nascent but booming $1 billion CBD industry is quickly moving toward the mainstream, according to BusinessInsider (http://ibn.fm/DqwUJ), although CBD is not a new investment field for SinglePoint.

“We’ve been in the space over a year and have a first-mover advantage,” Lambrecht continued. “Now with the Farm Bill, CBD is going to be legal and we want to go full force into that product. We expect to see an enormous amount of funding and investors to come into the market.”

SinglePoint subsidiary SingleSeed is an ecommerce site that distributes CBD products derived from hemp via the SingleSeed.com website. The addition of multiple product listings on the site during 2018 has proven successful as consumers seek out a variety of CBD choices. SinglePoint President Wil Ralston noted in the video that the company’s best sellers to date are its CBD-infused water products, which are proving to be very popular with consumers.

SinglePoint anticipates that SingleSeed will be one of the company’s top revenue-producing subsidiaries over the coming year. Another portfolio company, DIGS, has continued to expand its footprint in the CBD space and is currently fulfilling many of the orders for SingleSeed.com. The company is also working on supplying bulk orders of CBD in crude and isolate forms and can white label and handle drop shipping for many products. DIGS has provided SinglePoint with additional revenue, as well as many contacts in the cannabis and CBD industries. SinglePoint plans to expand this entity through additional distribution points and tap into the cultivation side of the industry, which is seeing major growth as more states open and legalize cannabis (http://ibn.fm/GgRPr).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SinglePoint.com

• Sees opportunity in the passing of the new Farm Bill
• Signs new chief sales officer to distribute CBD products nationwide
• Orders first commercial production run of Hygee Kits

The passing of the new Farm Bill is big news for companies like Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) that work within the cannabis industry. ETST is a Florida-based biotechnology company focused on cannabis and cannabinoid research and development, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The newly passed 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp (including hemp-derived cannabinoids containing less than 0.3 percent THC) from the Controlled Substances act. According to New Frontier cannabis market data, the American CBD market is now projected to reach $2.3 billion in revenue by 2022.

ETST is taking advantage of the opportunities now afforded by the 2018 Farm Bill. In a recent press release (http://ibn.fm/oqaDm), the company announced a change in staff. David Barbash has been signed on as its new chief sales officer, beginning in 2019. He brings more than 20 years of new business development experience and is a proven negotiator, manager and motivator. Barbash will be responsible for distributing CBD products through his nationwide retail accounts. Jill Buzan, ETST’s current chief sales officer, is transitioning to direct ETST’s sales in Florida.

In a news release, Nickolas S. Tabraue, president, director and chairman of ETST, stated, “[Barbash’s] expertise and enthusiasm will be tremendous assets as we ride the wave opportunity afforded by the legalization of hemp cultivation and hemp-derived CBD in the United States.”

The company also recently announced its first commercial production run of Hygee Kits (http://ibn.fm/pDNhr). The self-sampling kits enable women to discreetly test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that women between the ages of 15 and 25 who are sexually active get tested yearly for chlamydia. This demographic represents a market of approximately 500 million women worldwide. Initial marketing for this first product run will target North America, South America, Asia and Africa. Packaging for the kits will be available in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese and Arabic.

Hygee is convenient, efficient, affordable and anonymous. It is considered a ‘mistake-proof’ medical device that comes with simple instructions that allow for successful use on the first try.  According to WHO, there are approximately 130 million new chlamydia cases diagnosed each year. Pregnant women are screened to minimize the risk of transmitting the infection to their babies during childbirth. Chlamydia is a global issue, and sales of Hygee are projected to reach between $1.5 million and $2.5 million in the first year. Second year sales are projected to reach $1 million monthly, and, by the third year, sales are expected to rise to $20 million yearly. By 2023, the global medical device market is anticipated to surpass $400 billion (http://ibn.fm/u3YfU). While Hygee is set to be launched early in 2019 for the detection of chlamydia, it is only the beginning in terms of what the company has planned in the medical device space.

“We believe that ETST has developed the best tool on the market to fight STIs, which will provide an exceptional service to women who use Hygee,” added Tabraue. “The production of the first batch of Hygee is very exciting. Our team believed in the success of Hygee from the first day we acquired it. Now, we will do everything possible to spread this fabulous medical device everywhere on the planet to protect women and their future babies from the terrible, adverse effects of chlamydia and other STIs.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.EarthScienceTech.com

• Provides best-in-class products and services by leveraging a Blue Ocean Strategy
• Provides training and mentorship to ‘Elepreneurs’ that promote positive psychology and personal development to enhance consumers’ shopping experience
• Cumulative sales reached more than $39 million since December 2017, and plans are in place to expand globally in 2019

Sharing Services, Inc. (OTCQB: SHRV) is a diversified holding company located in Plano, Texas, that owns, operates or controls a variety of companies in the direct selling industry. The company works to equip and promote the success of home-based entrepreneurs, which it has dubbed ‘Elepreneurs’. SHRV has seen significant growth in 2018 and looks forward to further expansion in 2019.

SHRV provides best-in-class products and services by leveraging a unique Blue Ocean Strategy. This strategy is focused on providing excellent support to its team of Elepreneurs, generating 100 percent organic growth and cultivating as many new leaders as possible. By focusing on improving how business is done and providing the team of Elepreneurs with superior support, the company is innovating the home-based entrepreneurial industry. In the past year, over 17,000 independent sales representatives have joined the Elepreneurs team.

Through mentorship and training the company emphasizes positive selling experiences with friendly people to add the personalized touch that consumers crave. Robert Oblon, the company’s chairman, encourages Elepreneurs to consider the importance of positive psychology and personal development, along with the impact that they have on direct sales.

The company recently announced (http://ibn.fm/oxcWO) revenues of $17.9 million for the fiscal second quarter, bringing total sales revenues since the December 2017 launch of products to more than $39 million. SHRV continues to gain ground in the direct-selling industry by owning, operating or controlling companies that offer a variety of services in the health and wellness, energy, technology, insurance, training, media and travel industries.

The year of 2018 was a busy one for SHRV, as it took several steps toward expansion. A new corporate headquarter was built in Plano, Texas, that offers room for expansion into its 10,000-square-foot floor plan that includes a customer service department, product fulfillment center, opportunity and training rooms and a video production suite. Experienced talent was added to the management team, and plans are in place to travel the U.S. to hold several mini conferences that focus on helping people become “healthier, happier and wealthier.” The coming year looks just as promising as SHRV begins to initiate a previously announced plan for global expansion.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SHRVInc.com

• Demand for cobalt forecast to grow in 2019 and the year beyond, increasing the price of the natural resource
• DRC is currently the world’s largest cobalt producer, but political turmoil and ethical considerations are providing excellent opportunities for alternative cobalt producers like First Cobalt
• 2018 was a successful year for First Cobalt, with Iron Creek Cobalt Project prospecting far exceeding initial expectations

The forecast for cobalt in the coming few years is a positive one, with demand set to grow and prices expected to increase 30 percent by mid-2019, according to analysts. The cobalt price reached near decades high in March 2018, but then dropped for a few months and is now expected to reach $70,000 per tonne by the middle of 2019 and $80,000 per tonne by 2020, as noted by a Capital Economics report (http://ibn.fm/9Iqix). The increase in both demand and pricing will most likely benefit alternative cobalt producers such as North American pure-play cobalt company First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (ASX: FCC).

Geopolitical events and economic developments will likely contribute to the eventual hike. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) currently produces over 60 percent of the world’s cobalt. The country is dealing with an Ebola outbreak, as well as a chaotic election. Depending on the outcome of the elections, the country could enforce a new law that raises costs for all mineral producers and imposes a 10 percent royalty on cobalt exports (http://ibn.fm/BX1KB).

Awareness about ethical issues surrounding cobalt production in the DRC is increasing, which is yet another factor contributing to a market shift.

These trends are expected to have a positive effect on the work of First Cobalt Corp. As the demand for cobalt is set to increase exponentially, the company is continuing work on its flagship asset – the Iron Creek Cobalt Project in Idaho.

First Cobalt recently reported high grade mineralization intercepts at the Iron Creek Project. The mineralization extends to the eastern portion of the current resource area (http://ibn.fm/SKG7T). Drilling at Iron Creek was ongoing throughout 2018 with a primary aim of extending the mineralization zone from 500 to over 1,500 meters.

The project has already been classified as an advanced, unique asset. In terms of cobalt projects, it is quickly shaping up as one of the most crucial opportunities in North America. Through further development and the exploration of domestic sources of the metal, countries on the continent are expected to become much less dependent on foreign imports marked by serious volatility.

First Cobalt’s Iron Creek Project has inferred mineral resources of 26.9 million tonnes grading 0.11 percent cobalt equivalent.

According to an official statement on the First Cobalt website, the company’s vision “is to become the largest primary cobalt producer outside the DRC and the most attractive cobalt stock on the market.” The statement also suggests that the First Cobalt strategy is “to explore, develop and refine material in North America for sale back into the American battery market.”

An updated resource estimate for the Iron Creek Cobalt Project in Idaho is expected in early 2019. First Cobalt executives are also negotiating with third party investors who could minimize or eliminate altogether equity dilution for the purpose of potentially restarting the company’s refinery within 18 months. First Cobalt’s refinery in eastern Canada is the only permitted cobalt extraction refinery in North America that can produce battery grade material.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ibn.fm/FTSSF